So Help Me Girl
by ballistics belle
Summary: You could have kissed me like this wasn't gonna last'.HC. Songfic.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Every time we work together I find another reason not to trust you." Calleigh didn't even give him a chance to response. She just turned and walked away leaving Peter behind with a dumb look on his face.

She mentally kicked her own ass. She let her guard down and allowed him into her heart and he did what every guy before him had done. He blindsided her with charm and then showed his true colors once he gained her trust.

She entered the locker room, which was blissfully unoccupied and sat down on the bench in front of her locker but made no attempt to open it.

"How could I be so stupid?" She shouted as she punched her locker. Metal vibrations filled the small room. When the noise died down, she heard the quite clearing of a mans' throat.

'_Horatio.' _Her body relaxed immediately but she still didn't sit up.

"I made a new discovery." She spoke, still looking at the ground.

"Oh really?" It was more of a statement than a question but the effect was just the same. "And what would this be?"

"I discovered that hitting your locker doesn't make you feel any better." She finally sat up straight and rubbed her hand. The bruise was going to be a bitch tomorrow.

Horatio tried not to laugh as he came and sat down next to her on the bench. He took her hand in his and then brought it up to his lips, where he placed an ever so soft kiss on her knuckles.

"There, all better." She looked up and him and gave him a pouty smile.

"Thank you." He nodded in response.

"Now, you want to tell me why you had to try that little experiment?" Calleigh sighed and took her hand off her head.

"It's a long story." She waved it off but he persisted.

"I've got time." He stood up and offered her a hand. She hesitated. "Come on, let's go get some dinner. You can tell me everything while we eat." Seeing no way out of it, she allowed let him to help her up.

"Fine, but you're paying."

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Horatio took her to a little beach side hut with picnic tables and a thatched roof. They sat at one of the tables over looking the water.

"I think you left a dent in your locker door." He said over his iced tea.

"I think I dented my hand too." She groused before taking a sip of sweet tea.

"You're lucky you only got a bruise. What would possess you to do that in the first place?" She shrugged.

"I don't know. I just had such a crappy day and what that jerk did was just the last straw. I mean, I should have known better than to let him in because over and over again I end up in these relationships that are completely lacking in trust and respect. Men think they can walk all over me and they do." She exclaimed.

Horatio got the feeling that this was something that had been going on for awhile and whatever happened today was just the straw that broke the camels back.

"So who do I need to teach a lesson?" He asked only half joking.

"Treasury agent Peter Elliot. He's just like every other fed: a sweet talker, irrestiably if not annoyingly charming and a liar…well, maybe not a liar but defiantly deceitful." She twirled her straw in her drink.

"He was perfectly wonderful until I found out he's engaged to the states attorney. He hurt me more than I'd like to admit and it's all because of John Hagen." Calleigh could have spit bullets when Peter told her what John did.

"Hagen?" Horatio looked at her oddly. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"John told Peter we were getting married, he even showed him a ring! I didn't find out about it until after Hagen died. God I was furious though. What made him think he could do that?" She vented. She then rested her head in her hands and looked right at him.

"Horatio, if I ask you a question, will you answer me honestly?" She stared, blues eyes to blue eyes.

"Have I ever lied to you?" She shook her head and took a deep breath.

"Is there something wrong with me? Am I not attractive to good guys?" He was taken aback.

"No! Why would you even think that?" He was almost hurt by the thought.

"It's just that every guy I've been involved with lately has been a real loser, but it seems like all the good ones are gone, so I guess a bad guy is better than no guy at all." She rested her head on her hand.

"Be very very careful Calleigh. You are far too precious to be with just anyone." He said almost warningly.

"Well if I'm so damn precious than why aren't guys like you falling in love with me?" She demanded. He looked her right in the eye.

"Guys like me already have." She searched his eyes for any insincerity and found none. "You're going to be okay, Cal. You just have to find the right guy, a guy worthy of you." He said simply. Lord did he want her to pick him though. She reached over and put her hand on his.

"I think I already have."

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Later that evening, Horatio brought her back to her apartment.

"Thank you Handsome, I really needed that." He could tell she was debating something but he couldn't quite tell what. He smiled.

"Not a problem. I'll see you tomorrow?" She nodded and he turned and started off down the hallway.

"Horatio!" He hadn't gotten more than 20 ft away when he heard her call after him. He turned back around and saw her come running towards him. She stopped just short of running into him and reaching up on her tip toes pulled him down into searing kiss.

Once the shock wore off, Horatio deepened the kiss and held onto her like she was the only think keeping him from falling. When they parted for air, she whispered in his ear.

"Stay with me tonight."

_You could have kissed me like this wasn't going to last_

_Kept me from saying something I'll never take back_

_You could have held me like there was no chance_

_Of me waking up where I am_

_You could have stopped short of every dream I've ever had_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Horatio watched her sleep as he played with the strands of gold that lay on his pillow. He then leaned down and kissed her bare shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open and landed on him.

"Good morning." He whispered in her ear. The low rumble of his voice against her back sent a shiver through her.

"Mornin' Handsome." He had heard her say that to him hundreds of times over the years that he'd known her, but there was something about the way she said it this morning, wrapped up in the sheets and his arms that made the term that much sweeter.

She turned over to face him. He was propped up by one of his elbows. His other arm was still draped lazily around her. She looked up into his eyes and searched for any sign of regret or remorse. All she found was exhilaration…. and love. She bowed her head.

"Hey," He placed a hand under her chin and lifted her face back up. Two crystal tears rolled down her cheek. "Sweetheart, don't cry. Why are you upset?" He wiped away her tears and kissed her forehead.

"I'm not sad; I don't even know why I'm crying. I've just…never had anyone look at me the way you do." Calleigh admitted. Horatio used his already conveniently placed arm to pull her closer to him.

"Honey, I've been looking at you for five years." He pushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"Yeah, but you've never looked at me like that." She dragged a fingernail across his jaw line.

"That's because I've never seen you like this. So…real and untamed, in my arms. I've never seen you as mine." He bent his head down and captured her lips again. They finally tore apart when air became a necessity. She laid her head on his chest and whispered:

"I'm yours."

_So help me girl, you've gone too far_

_It's way too late to save my heart_

_The way it feels each time we touch_

_I know I've never felt so loved_

_And I can't help myself so help me girl_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The sun was starting to come up and they were still lying in bed, talking about everything and nothing at the same time.

"What do you think the others are going to say?" Calleigh interlaced her fingers with his.

"Does it matter?" Horatio gave her his classic raised eyebrow.

"No, I guess it doesn't." She rolled over onto her back and bit her lip. "Do you think Yelena will be upset?" He paused before answering her.

"Why would you think she'd be upset?"

"Forget it, it was a stupid question. I don't even know why I asked it." She rolled out of his arms and out of the bed. She picked his shirt up off the floor and buttoned up partially.

"You had to have some reason." He wasn't as willing to give up as easily. He got up as well and pulled on his boxers.

"I only asked because…. Well, it's a well-known fact around the lab that she has feelings for you-romantic feelings. To be honest, she's the reason I didn't pursue this-us, sooner. You didn't know?" Calleigh cocked her head to the side to look at him.

It would have been perfectly understandable if he didn't. She had passed it off as woman's' intuition until Speed confronted her with it. Horatio ran a hand over his face.

"I knew. I just didn't think that anyone else did." He sighed and held out a hand to her. "I don't want you to worry about her. She's my sister-in-law; she's my problem to deal with." He rested his head on top of hers. "Thank you, for being honest with me. " He wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed the top of her head.

"Let's make promise to never keep secrets or feelings from each other ever." He looked down at her and smiled.

"You've got a deal." He kissed her again. "I gotta go." Her bright expression faded.

"You're leaving?" She said, upset.

"I have to go back to my apartment and shower and change." He explained as he picked his pants up off the floor.

"Right, you have to get ready for work. I understand." Her voice tried to sound normal but failed miserably.

"Can I please have my shirt or am I leaving half naked?" He whispered in her ear. A slight smile spread across her lips again.

"You can have it back after you answer this question," She took a deep breath. "What's it going to be like at work? What should I expect?" He looked at her, not really understanding what she was getting at.

"Well, you're my employee," Her breath caught in her throat. "_But _you're also my girlfriend. So I'll treat you as both. I'm not going to hide my feelings for Calleigh, but I'm also not going to give you special treatment just because I'm sleeping with you." He stated simply but forcibly. She sighed in relief.

"I wouldn't expect any less from you, Lieutenant." She smiled honestly.

"I'll see you later sweetheart." He kissed her cheek and waited for her to change out of his shirt and into her robe. She walked him to the door and watched as his car pull away.

_You had to be there when that old sun came up_

_Making last night feel like a vision of things yet to come_

_You just had to hold me like nobody else_

_Now look what you've gone and done_

_You had to love me till I just can't get enough._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

They spent the rest of the day apart. Horatio had been called out to a scene straight from his apartment and Calleigh had spent all day in the lab finishing reports and catching up on the ballistics backlog.

They ran into each other around lunchtime but that was the extent of their contact for the day. At quitting time, she waited around for him, but he never showed. So she gave up and headed home.

When she arrived at her apartment, she changed out of her work attire and into a pair of pink pajama pants and a matching pink tank top. She had just picked up the phone to order take-out when her doorbell rang.

As she hurried down the hall, excitement fluttered in her stomach as the thought of it being him crossed her mind. Ignoring the peephole, she threw open the door only to find him standing there casually with a take out bag in his hand.

"You read my mind, Handsome." She melted against the door as he gave her one of those sexy smiles and entered her domain.

"I missed you at the lab." He stated as he stood in her living room.

"I knew you'd find me." She shot him a loaded stare before disappearing into the kitchen.

She reemerged carrying a tray containing plates, silverware and two beers.

She set the tray down on the coffee table and began to empty the contents of the bag. Horatio sat back and watched.

It was amazing how something so domestic as preparing dinner could be so enthralling to him. All of the fantasies he had ever could never compare to the real thing. The sweet lull of her voice brought him back to the present.

"So tell me about the case." She handed him his drink before settling cross legged on the floor next to him. He filled her in on the details of the case while she fixed his plate. She listened intently and except for a few questions, was silent.

"So what did you do all day?"

"I spent all day in the lab since someone didn't ask me to come along with them to their scene." She said pretending to be upset.

"Oh, poor baby was stuck in the gun vault all day. How tough." He replied in mock sympathy. She threw her napkin at him and attempted to look away in anger but that damn smile kept drawing her back.

"What is so funny, Lt?" She demanded.

"You are, Detective." He laughed. She jumped up onto the couch and pounced on him. She beat on his chest lightly and both were laughing until he caught her wrists in his hands.

She looked at him through a curtain of blonde and saw the look of longing desire in his eyes. He used her trapped arms to pull her closer to him and then captured her lips between his.

The kiss was hot, needy and intense. Horatio pulled them apart before things could escalate any further. She looked at him, a little disappointed.

"What's wrong? What did I do?" Her constant self accusation was something he was going to have to work on later.

"You didn't do anything Cal. You were perfect. It's me that has the problem." He gently pulled her off him and set her down on the couch. He then stood and began to pace in front of her.

She just sat there like a little girl who had just gotten in trouble as she hung her head and bit her lip. He knew she was trying not to cry and he wanted nothing more than to rush over to her, take her back into his arms and kiss away any pain. But he needed to do this first, even if it did cause a few tears to fall.

"Calleigh I…I," He was stumbling over his words as his mind raced to pull his thoughts together. "Last night, when you kissed me, it was the most amazingly astounding thing I've ever experienced. You and I are all I've ever dreamed of. And trust me, last night was beyond any dream I've ever had. You have the most beautiful body. Every curve, every line, every freckle drives me out of my mind." Calleigh had the good grace to blush at his comment. "But I want more than just sex. I want your body, your mind and your soul. I want to be intimate with every part of you. I want to know your every thought, your deepest desires and your biggest fears. To me, that's even more arousing than any lingerie you could ever wear." With his speech complete, he came and stood in front of her.

Tears were running down her face as she flung herself into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her tightly. She pulled his face into her hands and devoured his lips with a greedy, desperate kiss. He didn't stop her.

This time he allowed himself to be swallowed up and pulled into her lust induced haze that surrounded them until the midnight hours.

_So help me girl, you've gone too far_

_It's way too late to save my heart_

_The way it feels each time we touch_

_I know I've never felt so loved_

_And I can't help myself so help me girl_


End file.
